February 28, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Students from Marshall University’s public radio station, WMUL-FM, received one (1) Canopus Winner, four (4) Centauri Winners and fifteen (15) Arcturus Winners in the 2019 Vega Digital Awards. The winners were named in an e-mail from the International Awards Associate in Montebello, New York dated Monday, February 24, 2020. This year marks WMUL-FM’s second time competing in this particular contest.
Understanding the terms used by the Vega Digital Awards is as follows: Canopus is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Carina, and the second brightest star in the night-time sky, after Sirius. Canopus is generally considered to originate from the mythological Canopus, who was a navigator for Menelaus, king of Sparta. The Vega Digital Awards uses this name for its first-place awards. Centauri may refer to any of the stars in the constellation Centaurus, including Alpha Centauri, Beta Centauri, or Proxima Centauri. The Vega Digital Awards uses this name for its second-place awards. Arcturus is the brightest star in the constellation of Boötes, the fourth-brightest in the night sky, and the brightest in the northern celestial hemisphere. The Vega Digital Awards uses this name for its third-place awards.
Canopus, Centauri and Arcturus winners are listed on the Vega Digital Awards website at https://vegaawards.com/winner.php.
Dr. Chuck G. Bailey, professor of radio – television production and management in the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Marshall University and faculty manager of WMUL-FM, said, “This is an amazing accomplishment to be recognized with a Canopus Award by an international panel of judges, who are handpicked from a diverse range of marketing and advertising companies from around the world, for producing another one in a long line of solid exceptional weekly call-in sports talk programs that highlights Marshall’s Olympic sports teams. In addition, WMUL-FM student broadcasters and community volunteers were acknowledged with Centauri awards for having created a compelling weekly statewide high school basketball talk program, the FM 88 Sports Staff’s use of social media through Instagram, an audio musical entertainment program and as having broadcast excellent play-by-play of Marshall men’s basketball. Plus other WMUL-FM student broadcasters received Arcturus awards for their news and sports reporting, newscasts, insightful sports single episode podcasts, sports play-by-play of Marshall football and men’s basketball, a weekly sports program that sums up the week in Marshall athletics, the video presentation of its weekly statewide high school basketball talk program and the FM 88 Sports Staff’s use of social media through Twitter. I am thrilled for the honor these twenty Vega Digital Awards bestow on WMUL-FM, the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications, the College of Arts and Media and Marshall University. These Vega Digital Awards are a tribute to the continual quality and commitment to the news and sports coverage, creative programming, station promotion, and having an online presence that our broadcast students exhibit in competition with professional practitioners.”
Each year, the Vega Digital Awards seeks to recognize and honors the outstanding performance, talent and effort of the best digital and creative professionals, web developers, web designers and web agencies around the world. The International Awards Associate invites the participation of ad agencies, public relations firms, interactive agencies, as well as individual graphic and web designers, and web enthusiasts, along with companies and nonprofit organizations. Vega also searches out the future brightest stars of the digital media universe, to reward and encourage the young people who will create the future of digital.
The Canopus Winner winning entry by WMUL-FM is in the following category:
AUDIO PROGRAM
“Sportsview featuring Marshall Women’s Basketball Head Coach Tony Kemper along with players Taylor Porter and Ashley Saintgene” with host Luke Creasy, a graduate from Huntington. The program was produced by Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia and was broadcast Wednesday, April 25, 2018.
The Centauri winning entries are in the following categories:
AUDIO PROGRAM
The Friday, March 08, 2019, edition of a collaborative high school sports radio program between WMUL-FM and WFGH-FM in Fort Gay, West Virginia that is broadcast to a statewide audience. “Basketball Friday Night in West Virginia” runs from 9 p.m. to midnight each Friday night during the high school basketball season with its audio signal originating from the studios of WMUL-FM, but includes a high definition video signal coming from the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Television Studio A. Volunteer hosts Ryan Epling, Ric Morrone, Joe Linville, and guests provide fans with continual score updates, interviews and analysis of the evening’s games.
AUDIO PROGRAM
WMUL-FM’s Classroom Concert Series—featuring the solo artist “Brad Goodall,” who is also the keyboardist for the local band “Ona.” The live interview was conducted by host of the program Austin Creel, a recent graduate from Parkersburg. The producers of the playing and singing recording session were Sam Adkins, a recent graduate from Huntington, and Michael Stanley, WMUL-FM’s Operations Manager from West Hamlin. The program was broadcast over WMUL-FM and posted online Thursday, May 10, 2018.
SOCIAL CONTENT & MARKETING
WMUL’s FM 88 Sports Instagram account is recognized for its use during sporting events and continual coverage of Marshall sports throughout the academic year. The Sports Instagram account for 2018-2019 was overseen by Tyler Kennett, a sophomore from Rock, Nick Verzolini, a junior from Stewartstown, Penn. and Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia. One may find it at http://www.instagram.com/wmul_sports/.
AUDIO SPORTS PROGRAMMING
WMUL-FM’s broadcast of Marshall men’s basketball versus University of Tennessee-Martin played at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, West Virginia, Friday, November 10, 2017. The students calling the men’s basketball game broadcast over FM 88.1 were:
Play-by-Play announcer — Adam Rogers, a graduate from Milton;
Color Commentator — Luke Creasy, a graduate from Huntington;
Engineer — Marquez Davila, a recent graduate from Sterling, Virginia.
The Arcturus Winners winning entries are in the following categories:
VIDEO/ONLINE VIDEO-ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM
WMUL-FM’s Classroom Concert Series—featuring the solo artist Brad Goodall,” who is also the keyboardist for the local band “Ona.” The live interview was conducted by host of the program Austin Creel, a recent graduate from Parkersburg. The producers of the playing and singing recording session were Sam Adkins, a recent graduate from Huntington, and Michael Stanley, WMUL-FM’s Operations Manager from West Hamlin. The program was broadcast over WMUL-FM and posted online Thursday, May 10, 2018.
VIDEO/ONLINE VIDEO PROGRAM
The Friday, March 08, 2019, edition of a collaborative high school sports radio program between WMUL-FM and WFGH-FM in Fort Gay, West Virginia that is broadcast to a statewide audience. “Basketball Friday Night in West Virginia” runs from 9 p.m. to midnight each Friday night during the high school basketball season with its audio signal originating from the studios of WMUL-FM, but includes a high definition video signal coming from the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Television Studio A. Volunteer hosts Ryan Epling, Ric Morrone, Joe Linville, and guests provide fans with continual score updates, interviews and analysis of the evening’s games.
AUDIO/RADIO PROGRAM
The “5:00 p.m. Edition of Newscenter 88” broadcast Friday, April 06, 2018. The students who participated in this newscast are:
Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia; (Producer)
Adam Rogers, a graduate from Milton; (Anchor)
Makaylah Wheeler, a junior from Huntington; (Anchor)
Tristan Poston, a senior from Huntington; (Weather)
Nick Verzolini, a junior from Stewartstown, Penn. (Sports Anchor)
AUDIO/RADIO PROGRAM
WMUL-FM’s Classroom Concert Series—featuring the band “Colly.” The live interviews were conducted by host of the program Austin Creel, a graduate from Parkersburg. The producers of the live band playing recording session were Sam Adkins, a graduate from Huntington, and Michael Stanley, WMUL-FM’s Operations Manager from West Hamlin. The program was broadcast over WMUL-FM and posted online Thursday, April 19, 2018, and also made available online.
AUDIO/RADIO PROGRAM
“Herd Roundup” with host Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia, broadcast Friday, April 6, 2018, and also made available online.
AUDIO/RADIO PROGRAM
“Sportsview featuring Marshall Sports Information Director Jason Corriher” with host Luke Creasy, a graduate from Huntington. The program was produced by Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia and was broadcast Wednesday, April 25, 2018.
AUDIO PODCAST SINGLE EPISODE
“Game Jam” written and produced by Landon Mitchell, a senior from Ottawa, broadcast during the “5:00 p.m. Edition of Newscenter 88,” Monday, April 9, 2018, and also made available online.
AUDIO PODCAST SINGLE EPISODE
“Running Game Hitting its Stride” written and produced by Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia, broadcast during the Cutting Edge Sports Radio Network Pregame Program prior to the Marshall versus Florida International college football game, Saturday, October 28, 2018, and also made available online.
AUDIO PODCAST SINGLE EPISODE
“Men’s Basketball Prepares for the Big Dance” written and produced by Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia, broadcast during the “5:00 p.m. Edition of Newscenter 88,” Wednesday, March 14, 2018, and also made available online.
AUDIO PODCAST SINGLE EPISODE
“Malik Thompson Feature” written and produced by Savanah Matney, a senior from South Point, Ohio, broadcast during “Herd Roundup,” Friday, October 26, 2018, and also made available online.
AUDIO PODCAST SINGLE EPISODE
“Ajdin Peneva Profile” written and produced by Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia, broadcast during the “5:00 p.m. Edition of Newscenter 88,” Tuesday, March 6, 2018, and also made available online.
SOCIAL CONTENT & MARKETING-SOCIAL PRESENCE
WMUL’s FM 88 Sports Twitter account is recognized for its use during sporting events and continual coverage of Marshall sports throughout the academic year. One may follow it at @WMUL_Sports. The Twitter account is overseen by all members of the FM 88 Sports Staff.
AUDIO SPORTS PLAY-BY-PLAY PROGRAMMING
WMUL-FM’s broadcast of Marshall Football versus Florida Atlantic played at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia, Saturday, October 20, 2018. The students calling the football game broadcast over FM 88.1 were:
Play-by-play announcer— Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia;
Color commentator— Nick Verzolini, a junior from Stewartstown, Penn.;
Sideline Reporter— Savanah Matney, a senior from South Point, Ohio;
Spotter—Elijah Smith, a senior from Beckley;
Engineers—Wesley Steele, a sophomore from Flatwoods, Kentucky and
Matthew Moore, a graduate from Huntington.
AUDIO/RADIO SPORTS PLAY-BY-PLAY PROGRAMMING
WMUL-FM’s broadcast of Marshall football versus University of Texas at San Antonio played at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia, Saturday, November 17, 2018. The students calling the college football game broadcast over FM 88.1 were:
Play-by-Play announcer — Nick Verzolini, a junior from Stewartstown, Penn.;
Color Commentator – Andrew Rogers, a sophomore from Clarksburg;
Engineer — Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia.
AUDIO/RADIO SPORTS PLAY-BY-PLAY PROGRAMMING
WMUL-FM’s broadcast of Marshall men’s basketball versus University of Toledo played at the Cam Henderson Center in Huntington, West Virginia, Saturday, December 8, 2018. The students calling the men’s basketball game broadcast over FM 88.1 were:
Play-by-Play announcer – Spencer DuPuis, a senior from Leesburg, Virginia;
Color Commentator – Nick Verzolini, a junior from Stewartstown, Penn.;
Engineer – Austin Hinkle, a sophomore from Eleanor